The Travelers: Book One Read Free Page B

but people always appreciate good presentation. What can I get you?” She served the tri-colored glass to a woman at the far end of the bar before returning her attention to Gemma who shrugged in response.
    “Um… something fruity?”
    “Not much of a drinker?” Izzy asked, already pulling out various bottles for her new concoction.
    “Just socially, I guess,” she replied with another shrug.
    “Fair enough. I got you, don’t worry,” she answered with a wink before flitting off to take another person’s refill order.
    Gemma watched in awe as Izzy flew around the cramped bar area, making a personal connection with every person she served. It was clear that a lot of these people were regulars and Izzy shared an inside joke or two with each of them that Gemma didn’t quite understand; the intended audience always appreciated the jokes with raucous laughter though.
    Isabel was the social butterfly personified. As Gemma sat at the bar on her own sipping the syrupy delight that Izzy served her, she couldn’t help but be a little envious at how easy she made it all look.
    One of the patrons stood from the bar, waving to his compatriots before heading to the door.
    “Hey! You call this a tip?” Izzy called to him  waving a couple of singles at him before he reached the exit.
    The middle-aged man turned to the feisty bartender with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
    “ I’ll give you a tip,” he answered with a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows.
    “Ew. Get out of here old man. And don’t come back until you can pay me for my services!” She teased, waving him off dismissively.
    He chuckled.
    “What services are you offering?”
    Isabel rolled her eyes at his continued attempts to charm her.
    “Nothing you can afford, that’s for sure,” she finished and the man left the restaurant with a shake of his head and a smirk.
    Gemma couldn’t help but giggle a little at the exchange. Izzy obviously knew how to handle people and diffuse a situation — just like a teacher would; what were drunk people other than overgrown children anyway?
    “Who was that?” Gemma asked, nursing her bright pink cocktail. She didn’t know what was in it, but it was delicious. 
    Izzy shook her head with another roll of her eyes, “Just a regular. He’s always trying to hit on me.”
    Gemma’s eyes widened.
    “Do you have a boyfriend?”
    “Oh god no. No one’s going to want to deal with all of this. Besides, I don’t have the patience for all of that relationship bullshit. I tried it once… it didn’t work out.”
    Gemma frowned, finding it hard to believe that someone as vibrant and vivacious as Izzy had trouble finding someone. Where would that leave an ordinary girl like her?
    “Oh, I’m sorry. But there’s always hope though, right? You never know when the man of your dreams might come along.”
    Izzy’s answering bark of laughter made Gemma jump in her seat.
    “That’s cute, but I’m perfectly fine on my own,” she answered, elbow deep in water as she dunked glass after glass in the disinfecting solution before they headed to the dishwasher.
    Gemma raised a defensive hand, “Okay, okay, you don’t need anyone,” she replied with a grin. Izzy was stubborn, blunt and sarcastic and she loved it.
    “What about you? Got some poor sap waiting for you back in Tampa?”
    “Not a chance. I couldn’t even tell you the last time I had a date. What’s the pool like here, anyway?”
    Isabel shook her head.
    “Don’t even bother. Just a waste of time out here. Everyone has so much baggage; if I didn’t know better I would think that the airlines send us all the stuff they lose the way it piles up in this town. You don’t want to get caught up in small town drama.”
    No, Gemma thought, she certainly didn’t. The thought of going on a date, flirting, maybe even getting a good night kiss didn’t sound totally terrible, but she didn’t know what she would do with an actual relationship. Maybe it was for the